Bailed containers



July 6, 1965 c. H. T. WOODWARD 3,193,133

BAILED CONTAINERS Filed May 6, 1963 Fig.|

IN VEN TOR.

Fig.8

United States Patent 3,193,133 BAILED CONTAINERS Cyril H. T. Woodward, 160 Howard Ave., Rochelle Park, NJ. Filed May 6, 1963, Ser. No. 278,194 7 Claims. (Cl. 220-91) This invention relates to cans or containers having outwardly formed rims and more particularly to earless containers having bail retaining means in the outwardly formed rims.

The use of cans or containers to store and transport materials has become so universal and widespread that the use of cans of any particular size or style reaches the millions of units per year. In the use of larger containers such as the half and one gallon sizes, particularly for paints and other liquids, the weight of the contents in the container make it desirable for such containers to have bails as a convenience in hand carrying and use.

As an empty container having straight sides occupies as much space as full containers, the shipping costs of empties are high for the transported weight. The user also has to allocate a large storage space for such con- .tainers. Tapered containers having bail ears provide some space economies but the inwardly formed rim usually used therewith causes a wedging which usually makes separation difiicult and the ears limit the stacking height. Accordingly tapered containers of such design are seldom used.

The wide-spread use of straight side containers and the shipping costs of the empties cause most container manufacturing to be located near the users processing facilities. This often means that duplicate manufacturing plants are operated and maintained losing therewith some of the efficiencies of increased volume.

A container that would nest so that nine or ten empty containers would occupy only about as much space as two straight sided containers stacked one above the other would be a great improvement. Such a container would also have to nest Without wedging and must have a cover as satisfactory as the double-tight used on the straight sided containers commonly called one gallon bailed cans.

Accordingly my invention contemplates, among its various aspects, the providing of a tapered-sided container having an outwardly-formed rim. Said rim providing means for retainably mounting a bail therein and to provide an effective seating surface for the engagement of a cover.

It is a further intent that my invention will provide a container that may be nested so as to eifect great economies in space requirements for shipping and storage and when so nested will not wedge but will be readily separable.

The container of my invention will further provide a new and novel bail attaching means requiring no elaborate assembly equipment yet providing means to insure that the assembled bail is retained in the assembled position. This earless container further permits labeling of the containers at any time and with any size either before or after bail assembly.

A further intent of this invention is to provide an outwardly formed rim that cooperates with a predeterminedly formed cover to provide a closure that provides spaced shoulders for applying a prying means to remove the cover.

It is further contemplated that my new and novel rim will effectively reduce the amount of paint and such that accumulates with wiping the brush excess on the rim. My rim further eliminates the groove wherein the paint and such tends to accumulate and dry.

3,193,133 Patented July 6, 1965 The container so contemplated may also be readily made from mouldable plastic and either so made or from sheet-metal provides manufacturing and other economies of material, labor and storage.

The invention accordingly encompasses a tapered wall container having an outwardly formed rim around the open end, said rim having a cover receiving upper portion, an intermediate portion preferably having an inwardly tapering outer wall and a pry-portion extending outwardly from the intermediate portion. The pry-portion also has a pair of bail-receiving and retaining pivot holes. To close this container I provide a cover, preferably made from a single portion of sheet metal formed with a female circular groove and having an outer side wall tapering inwardly to tightly engage the rim. This cover is then provided with a pry-flange extending outwardly from the side-wall and designed to provide a pryslot for a wedge to remove the cover from the rim.

There has been outlined rather broadly the most important features of the present invention in order that a detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereafter and which will form the subject of claims appended hereto. Those persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which the present disclosure is based may readily be utilized as the basis for designing other structures for carrying out the several purposes of this invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the concept and scope of this invention.

A preferred embodiment and configuration of the in-. vention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a tapered container or can with a bail attached and with a compatible cover disposed above the rim thereof;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view showing three containers nested for storage or shipping;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 1 and showing the underside of the container mm;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3 and showing the underside of an alternate container rim such as would be used if made of moulded plastic;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1 and showing a preferred cover construction;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIG. 3 and showing a container rim with the cover of FIG. 5 thereon;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 6 but less the cover and showing the rim made as a continuation of the side;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 7 and showing the rim joined to the side by a lock seam;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 4 and showing a rim and side of plastic construction;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional side view showing the lock-tab of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8;

FIG. 11 is a side view of a wire bail for use with the container;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the end construction of the bail of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is an isometric view of a spring-lock key for use in the plastic rim of the container of FIG. 9.

The rim as exemplified in the accompanying drawing side 20. Adjacent to the curved portion 22 is a straight side portion 24 which, in the present instance, I prefer to have sloped inwardly as well as downwardly. Connecting with and extending outwardly therefrom is a pry-rim portion '26 which, as shown, is curved for safety and manufacturing reasons. As shown in FIGS. 6 through 8 the rim 26 is made of sheet metal and rigidity is imparted'thereto by continuing the metal inwardly to the side 20 thus forming a rim-bottom member 28 which I prefer to solder to the side 20.

In the pry-rim portion 26 there are formed at least two bail-openings 30 disposed on opposite sides of rim with the openings facing outwardly. In the present e'X- empli-fication, I place these openings a short distance above the rim-bottom 28 and of a size to slidably retain bail 32 to be hereinafter described. A deflectable, engaging tab 34 formed from the bottom member is at tached on one side to said member with the remainder of the tab pushed upwardly so as to enter the path of the inwardly-entering bail. Asshown more fully in FIG.

10, the tab 34 is made of a sufficient length so that when bent to the preselected position of approximately sixty degrees it may be deflected from such position by the" entering bail 32 and will move to the position shown in phantom outline. The maximum deflection is such that the tab is able to spring back to its operative, first position when permitted to do so. I i

A bail 32 as shown in FIGS. 1, 11 and 12 is prefe'rfably made of round metal or plastic rod or wire and is formed with an arch portion suihciently along to extend from The rim, as disclosed, may be made and attached to side 20 in many ways. Three methods are shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. In FIG; 6 the side 20 is terminated at a fixed distance from the bottom and the rim as a separately-formed sheet metal element is soldered to the side 20 at 60 andi'62I In FIG. 7 the side 20 is made sufficiently long so that it can be turned and formed into the rim and finally attached to the side such as by soldering at engaging point '64. In FIG. 8 is shown one form of a lock seam66 wherein side 20 is bent and locked to the rim in a conventional manner and soldered at juncture 68.. d I

It is further contemplated that the container and rim may be made of plastic and moulded as a single unit, and as taught in the disclosure above will perform in the same manner. I-, therefore, in FIGS. 9 and 13 provide an alternate container 121 of'moulded construction having a wall 126 and a rim attached thereto whose outer configuration is similar to FIG. 7 the upper arc-portion being designated 122, the straight side portion being designated 124 and the pri-riin portion being designated as 126. Then'm portion is shown as of solid construction although, to reduce the amount of rnaterial used, it may be'm'ade by using a multiplicity of stiffening ribs A pairofbail openings 130 are formed in the rim and opposite each other with the openings facing outwardly. A slot 10 is formed so as to engage the openings 130. A tab clip 72 preferably made of spring rnetal has formed thereon an en'gaging tab 74 so arranged thatwhen clip 72 is pressed into position in slot 70, the tab 74 will enter opening 130 and be engaged and deflected by the entering bail end member 40 in a manner similar-to that described in FIG. 10.

one side to the diametrically opposite side of the End members 40 are formedon both ends of mama and, in the present instance, are in the same plane as the arch and also have a common aids. 'Thesernembers' 49 extend inwardly toward each other andeach have formed near their inner ends a reduced postm n providing thereon a shoulder'44. To install the bail on the container the end of the bail 3-2 .is inserted'in the opening 30 and the end member 49 is advanced'inwardly, the end deflecting the tab 34 as it adva ces. The tab 34, when reduced portion 42 is advanced thereto, moves upwardly into this portion with the end of the tab engaging shoulder 44 to prevent from the container. 7

The containers shown, in the present instance, are often used for the transporting and storage of materials such as paint and other materials. Such a containerm'ust therefore have, among other desirable qualities,'the fp'ro vision for the user to remove and reinstall the cover or lid on the container in a facile manner. I, therefore, provide a cover preferably stamped and formed from a, sheet of metal and having the outer portion'formed with female circular recess 52 adapted to snugly engage the arc portion 22 of the container rirnt The'outer wall 54 is sloped inwardly so as to assist the coverin sliding into the closed position. Adjacent tothe outer wall and 7 extending outwardly therefrom is apry-flange 56 which At this point it is of note that my cover and container assembly provides for a rim that reduoesthe tendency of the paint or similar materials to accumulate andstand as now happens in the groove of the co-call edifioubletight containers. Further, the paint and such that is dripped or wiped on portion 22 is wiped therefrom by:

the reinstallation of cover 50.

withdrawal of the bail end It is to be particularly noted that the outwardly formed rim when used with a container having a' tapered side 20 permits stacking with one rim adjacent to the merit as shown in FIG. 2. .Thesides ZO lie adjacent to each other but do not wedge or jam as the rim '21 is of'suflicient height to allow the amount of taper of the sides to exceed the thickness of wall 20. Containers stacked and stored in this manner use the minimum storage space as well as eliminate the locking usually found'in stacking containers with tapered sides. A j I In the' above specification thegfollowing terms; up,

terni's refe'rring to a vertical and horiz'ontal direction as used herein refer to a situation wherein the bottom of the container is horizontal, and not necessarily to a positiori in which the container may be used.

Use.The container described above is intended to be made, shipped and stored with, the'bail removed. Labels may be applied at any time without regard to the ears normally found on bailed cans. When the container has been filled and thelid or cover installed, the bail iseasily installed in a permanent manner. The bail ends are then inserted into the openings" until the tab engages the reduced portion 42 whence the bail is installed and ready for use.

While the invention has'bee'n des' crihed n den-iii win;

respect to ajprefe'rred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatyarious modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope. of the invention and it is intended to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims. I

Iclaim: e

1. A bailed-container and cover comprising in'c mfbination, an open-topped container having a bottom, a side wall attachedthereto, a rim member attachedfto the side wall and having-an a pear-portion extending upwardly, outwardly thence downwardly from the side wall, a sideportion attached to and extending aownv'vardlyfrom said upper-portion, a 'pry portion extending ontwardlyand downwardly frqrn said side-portion, an nnderside p01 tionextendin'g inwardly to the container-side Wall, at least one pair of baikopcnin-gs rormea in said-pry-p'ortion and providing a earl-end entering path, an attached bail member having the intermediate portion formed in an arch, end members formed on each end of the bail and extending inwardly toward each other and having a common axis, a tab-engaging shoulder formed in each end member, a defiectable, bail-end engaging means extending into the bail-end entering path engaging and retaining each bail-end in. said bail-openings, a cover having a female-circular recess portion formed to snugly engage the upper-portion of said rim, an outer wall attached to the recess portion and adapted to snugly engage the sideportion of the rim and a pry-flange attached to and extending outwardly from the side-portion so that when the cover is fully installed and pry-flange will lie above said rim pry-portion a predetermined amount sufficient for the insertion therebetween of a wedge implement.

2. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the container, rim and cover are made of sheet metal.

3. A combination as in claim 2 wherein the bail-end engaging means is a defiectable metal tab extending upwardly and inwardly from said under portion.

4. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the container end rim are moulded plastic.

5. A combination as in claim 4 wherein the bail-end opening is a moulded passageway and wherein there is a key-slot formed in the under-portion of the pry-portion and extending into the passageway and, wherein the bailend engaging means is a spring-metal member having a defiectable tab formed therefrom and said member is mounted in said slot with the tab extending into said passageway.

6. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the bail is a wire bent in one plane.

7. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the container is formed with tapering side walls converging towards the container bottom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Examiner. 

1. A BAILED-CONTAINER AND COVER COMPRISING IN COMBIBATION, AN OPEN-TOPPED CONTAINER HAVING A BOTTOM, A SIDE WALL ATTACHED THERETO, A RIM MEMBER ATTACHED TO THE SIDE WALL AND HAVING AN UPPER-PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY, OUTWARDLY THENCE DOWNWARDLY FROM THE SIDE WALL, A SIDEPORTION ATTACHED TO AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID UPPER-PORTION, A PRY-PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID SIDE-PORTION, AN UNDERSIDE PORTION EXTENDING INWARDLY TO THE CONTAINER SIDE WALL, AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF BAIL-OPENINGS FORMED IN SAID PRY-PORTION AND PROVIDING A BAIL-END ENTERING PATH, AN ATTACHED BAIL MEMBER HAVING THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION FORMED IN AN ARCH, END MEMBERS FORMED ON EACH END OF THE BAIL AND EXTENDING INWARDLY TOWARD EACH OTHER AND HAVING A COMMON AXIS, A TAB-ENGAGING SHOULDER FORMED IN EACH END MEMBER, A DEFLECTABLE, BAIL-END ENGAGING MEANS EXTENDING INTO THE BAIL-END ENTERING PATH ENGAGING AND RETAINING EACH BAIL-END IN SAID BAIL-OPENINGS, A COVER HAVING A FEMALE-CIRCULAR RECESS PORTION FORMED TO SNUGLY ENGAGE THE UPPER-PORTION OF SAID RIM, AN OUTER WALL ATTACHED TO THE RECESS PORTION AND ADAPTED TO SNUGLY ENGAGE THE SIDEPORTION OF THE RIM AND A PRY-FLANGE ATTACHED TO AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE SIDE-PORTION SO THAT WHEN THE COVER IS FULLY INSTALLED AND PRY-FLANGE WILL LIE ABOVE SAID RIM PRY-PORTION A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT SUFFICIENT FOR THE INSERTION THEREBETWEEN OF A WEDGE IMPLEMENT. 